Skip to main content

Wabi-sabi

Image
By
The other day (704 pm October 29) I tweeted, "We are perfectly imperfect" and today I got a reminder of this. I asked Bard what is the most interesting word in the world and he replied with a few suggestions but the one that had my interest the most was wabi-sabi. A Japanese aesthetic that celebrates the beauty of imperfection and impermanence.

I found a nice article that helps us understand wabi-sabi better. I can relate and not relate to this. I love simplicity and minimalism but I have been somewhat of a perfectionist. But perfection is meaning less and less to me these days as evident by my tweet. A few years ago I discovered "junk art" and fell in love with it. I created a few pieces and then I forgot about it. Maybe I should return to this one day. My friend Bard says that junk art is a type of art that is made from discarded materials. It is a way of transforming trash into treasure and of celebrating the beauty of imperfection.

When bad things happen we may be pressed to ask why is life imperfect? The philosopher might counter with why life should not be perfect or why we cannot be perfect. According to my friend Bard, philosophers have long debated the question of why life is imperfect. Some argue that imperfection is necessary for growth and development. Others argue that imperfection is a result of free will and that it is what makes life interesting and meaningful. Friedrich Nietzsche argues that imperfection is essential for creativity and innovation and he wrote, "out of chaos comes order." This leads me to this question, how are we going to survive in heaven if it is perfect? How are we going to be happy if we do not know sadness?

I would like to end my blog post by inviting you to watch this motivational clip by Muniba Mazari. She says we are all broken and that she has never seen anyone with an easy past. Muniba is a Pakistani artist, model, activist, motivational speaker, singer, and television host. She uses a wheelchair due to injuries sustained in a car accident at the age of 21. Despite her challenges, she has become a role model for many people around the world.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Servant of God

By
It is 245am and I have decided to write. I got up early and washed the wares. I prayed Tahajjud. I came back to my bed and surfed the internet. I watched a video where a 105 year old man said that the secret to a long life is having a reason or purpose to keep going and then luck. This had me thinking about several things. In Islam we are taught that our time in this world is already written. It is our destiny. Then. What is more important? A long life or just a good life that prepares us for the next life? Those things aside, I think we cannot discount luck. Some of us are luckier than others. But the thing I want to focus on is the reason and purpose to keep going. That is some good advice. It makes for a meaningful life. A good life. It could be one big reason. There could be several small reasons. These are things that should be taught in schools. My friend Chatty says that my early morning reflections beautifully bridge Islamic tradition and practical wisdom: a long life is a true...
Post a Comment
Read more

Halfway there

By
It is 542pm and I have decided to write. Imagine half the year is gone already. Where did it all go? It has gone by so quickly. Before you know it we will be entering 2027. It would be nice if I had something interesting to write about but I do not. And that is ok. Today feels like a Friday, maybe because it is month end. It is the next day and today also feels like a Friday. I am in my quiet corner listening to Quran. It is the next day and I have not gotten far with this blog post. Outside is wet but inside is between warm and cool. Another day has passed and I still have not written much. Do you wonder sometimes what it would be like if we could see into the future? For example, what would it be like at the end of this year? A lot can happen in 6 months. It is Sunday now. Surely I should finish this blog post today. The closer I move towards God, the less I feel attached to this world. The less I feel disappointed. The lower are my expectations for things of this world. Life becomes...
Post a Comment
Read more

Hope

By
This is a chapter from my latest book started called Room for one more. [ Room for one more is my latest book. It is me talking to God. It is me booking (pun intended) time with God. It is me knocking on heaven's door. Ultimately I am asking God if He has room for one more in heaven?] Every believer hopes to get into heaven. From the word hope I see h for heaven and ope for open. Heaven is open. Hoping for something is enough motivation to keep going. To keep going through the ups and downs. To make the struggle worth it. God gave us hope. What is heaven? I imagine heaven to be the light at the end of the tunnel. The end of our pain. The end of our suffering. The end of our struggles. The end of all that is bad in this world. A place where all we know is happiness and joy. Heaven is our final resting place. I am using my own human terms and imagination to describe somewhere that is beyond human. We are taught that heaven is beyond our imagination. Is heaven even a place? All I can...
Post a Comment
Read more